BASEBALL'S ALL TIME NERDLINGERS
We salute you Mr. Kent Tekulve the first "athlete" to wear Transition lenses.
Many would agrue that baseball is the nerdiest of the 4 big sports we care about here in the States. With books like Moneyball being turned into Academy Award nominated movies to TV shows like MLB Networks Clubhouse Confindential it is no secret baseball fans love its statistics. Nerds that actually like sports tend to be drawn to baseball because of the endless stats. Baseball used to be so simple with easy to understand categories like hitters Batting Average, RBI's and Home Runs and pitching stats like Earned Run Average, and Wins and Losses . However a new breed of poindexters have brought a whole new high tech approach to breaking down the game of baseball. New categories like
BABIP: Batting Average on Balls in Play which can be figure by (H - HR)/(AB - K - HR + SF) ,
and
xFIP: Expected Fielding Independent Pitching which is even easier to follow its just (FB * .106) * 13 + (BB + HBP - IBB) * 3 - (K * 2))/IP
These new stat categories can make the game a lot more complex if you aren't a tool. What you don't understand the formulas? Then you must not understand baseball.
Nerds aren't just limited to keeping score, throughout the history of baseball many nerds have also played the game at a high level. Here are some favorite techies in all their glory.
DON MOSSI.
was a left-handed control pitcher whose strikeout-to-walk ratio was regularly amongst the league leaders (he led the league in 1961). He retired with a career earned run average of 3.43, 101 wins, and 50 saves.
TOM HOUSE.
A career 29-23 left handed relief pitcher he is better known for his contributions to baseball after his playing career. To show of his nerdiness I point out to you He holds a PhD in Psychology, with a focus in sports psychology. He is an advisor with the American Sports Medicine Institute, and is the co-founder of the National Pitching Association.
CHRIS SABO.
Known for his trademark goggles which makes him a all time nerdlinger here in the Diamond Club, Sabo was actually a 3 time All Star, believe it or not. While his career numbers are nothing to get excited about (In a nine-season career, Sabo was a .268 hitter with 116 home runs and 426 RBI in 911 games) he did win a World Series with the Reds and you can't take away the All Star selections from him
KENT TEKULVE.
Tekulve led the major leagues in games pitched four times, appearing in 90 or more games three times. He holds the National League record for career innings pitched in relief (1,436⅔), and formerly held the major league record for career relief appearances; his 1,050 career games. He saved three games in the 1979 World Series including the winner, as his Pirates defeated the Baltimore Orioles. He was selected an All-Star in 1980. Tekulve also holds the record for most career losses without having given up any earned runs, with 12, as well as the record for most intentional walks issued, with 179. with 184 saves with 2.85 ERA and 94-90 career record this submarine right hander goes down as one of the most reliable relievers of his era.
DARRELL PORTER.
He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers.[1] He was known for his excellent defensive skills and power hitting.[2] He was also known for being one of the first American professional athletes to publicly admit he had a problem with substance abuse. He finished third in the 1973 Rookie of the Year voting. In 1979, Porter became only the sixth catcher in Major League history to score 100 runs and have 100 runs batted in. A 4 time All-star and 1982 World Series MVP this nerd could definately play. 
WILLIE McGEE.
won two batting titles and was named Major League Baseball's 1985 National League MVP. McGee primarily played center and right field, winning three Gold Glove Awards for defensive excellence. McGee spent the majority of his 18-year career playing for the St. Louis Cardinals, helping the Cardinals win the 1982 World Series with his outstanding performance in Game 3 of that series. A four-time All-Star, McGee accumulated 2,254 hits during his career.
RANDY JOHNSON.
At 6'10 225 lbs. Randy was kindly called "The Big Unit" and rudely nicknamed Big Bird he finished his Hall of Fame career with 303-166 record he goes down as one of the most dominant pitchers to ever take the mound. Johnson finished his career first in strikeouts per nine innings pitched among starting pitchers (10.67), second all-time in total strikeouts (4,875; first among left-handed pitchers), third in hit batsmen (188), tenth in fewest hits allowed per nine innings pitched (7.24), 22nd in wins (303), and 57th in shutouts (37). He pitched two no-hitters, the second of which was the 17th perfect game in baseball history.
"OGLIVIE"
While never making the Big Leagues, Alfred Oglivie was legendary Coach Buttermaker's right hand man when it came to in game defensive strategy. He was an all-league scorekeeper with the pencil. Mainly a benchwarmer but when forced to play the field due to Little League rules, field he split time between RF and 1B. 
GREG MADDUX.
That is actually a picture of Matthew Broderick above. Greg Maddux goes down as one of the best pitchers to ever play the game. nicknamed "Mad Dog" and "The Professor" He was the first pitcher in major league history to win the Cy Young Award for four consecutive years (1992–1995), a feat matched only by fellow nerdlinger Randy Johnson (1999–2002) In addition, he holds the record for most Gold Gloves with eighteen. A superb control pitcher, Maddux won more games during the 1990s than any other pitcher, and is 8th on the all-time career wins list, with 355.
MARK LEE.
A career 7-8 pitcher he finished with a respectable 3.64 ERA. Lee pitched in all or part of four seasons from 1978 until 1981, the first two for the San Diego Padres and the last two for the Pittsburgh Pirates
DAVE COLLINS.
No, thats not a nuclear physicist that is a former outfielder who's playing career spanded from 1975 to 1990. He .272 for his career logging over 1300 hits mainly as a part time player but hey 15 years in the Bigs isn't to bad.
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